Story+2000-06-23+New+York+City,+NY

´´(sings ‘Take Me to the River’) That´s right....that’s my destination tonight....I wanna hold a pilgrimage....I wanna find my way to that river of life....to that river of love....that river of faith and of hope that is waiting out there....I wanna find that river of understanding.....and that river of transformation where you can go and you can change yourself, if you want to.... and that river of resurrection where everybody gets a second chance.....and I wanna find tonight....I wanna find that river of sexual healing....and companionship....that river of joy and of happiness (chuckles) of joy and happiness, let the healing begin, sugar (chuckles).... that´s where I wanna go tonight (chuckles) and I want you to go with me.....that´s why I´m here.....because I need to go with you....because you can´t get there by yourself....you can´t get to those things on your own, by yourself....so tonight I wanna throw, I wanna throw us a rock and roll baptism....a rock and roll exorcism....and rock and roll bar mitzvah....we´re gonna do it all tonight....and I wanna be washed in those waters.....and set free to be myself ....well, you see, once I stood one evening.....as a young man and I stood before a dark grove of trees and I was frightened to pass through those trees even though I knew that on the other side of those trees, the river of life was waiting, the river of a meaningful life.....and there was no fucking cellphones, that cold beer was sold at a reasonable price and there was pizza for everybody !.....but I couldn´t get there because I was paralyzed and then a gypsy woman called me onward and she said ´Son, what´s your line ?´ and I told her and she said ´What you need to get through those trees is you need some help, what you need is you need a band ´....and that´s why tonight I´m proud to introduce tonight here at Madison Square Garden, in this corner....the Long Island Piano Pounder, Professor Roy Bittan....and in this corner, the Minister of faith and friendship, the Middletown Mafioso, star of the ´Sopranos´-television-show....Little Steven Van Zandt....with me at the riverside....the foundation of the E Street nation, the Tennesee Terror, Mr.Garry W.Tallent....and now the man that brings the power night after night, the East Orange Offender, star of Late Night Television, the Mighty, Mighty Max Weinberg....in this corner, the Maryland Mauler, Secretary of heart and spirit, the great Nils Lofgren.....and now, ladies and gentlemen, in this corner, with a record of a 165 unpaid New York City parking tickets....Brother Dan Federici on the organ....and now, in this corner, the Asbury Park Heartbreaker, (?) the First Lady of love, Miss Patti Scialfa on the guitar and vocals....and now last but not least.....last but not least....and in the far corner, the Minister of soul, Secretary of the brotherhood.....do I have to say his name ? ....do I have to say his name ?...say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ? ....say who ? ....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?.... (....) The E Street Band !....The E Street Band !....the heart-stopping, house-rocking, earth-shaking, booty-quaking, history-making, legendary E Street Band !....”
 * 23.06.00 New York City, NY, middle of ´Tenth Avenue Freeze Out´**

´´Yeah....that was actually our alternate name, I think, right ? we were debating whether it was the E Street Band or the Boss and the Booty Shakers....E Street Band won out just, just by that much so (chuckles)....very close, very close (chuckles)....”
 * 23.06.00 New York City, NY, intro to ´Human Touch´ (after ´Tenth Avenue Freeze Out´).**

´´(?) a few guests with us tonight in the hall, we´ve got folks....who´ve been with us a part of the week called New York Cares....they´re a volunteer service organization....they mobilise 2,000 volunteers each month to work on projects in schools and social service agencies.... they feed the hungry, tutor children, assist people living with AIDS, they help the homeless families, it´s called New York Cares, a volunteer service organization here in New York City and they deserve your support....they´ll be out there in the hall tonight, please stop by and check ´em out and help ´em out if you can....we also have with us tonight some folks from New York Against the Death Penalty....(?)....as you know, there´s a...national vote for the moratorium on the death penalty and whatever your feelings are about this issue....you can go out to the hall tonight and there´s some folks that´ll give you some information or you can sign your name on the petition for a moratorium against the death penalty and let your voice be heard, thank you..... ”
 * 23.06.00 New York City, NY, intro to ´Dead Man Walkin´´**

´´New York City !....New York City !....but everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve seen people lost in confusion....I´ve seen people lost in loneliness on the subways....I´ve seen people lost in the wilderness of the concrete jungle....I´ve seen people lost in envy of the Jersey Devils winning the Stanley Cup....I´ve seen people lost at the Statue of Liberty which is actually in New Jersey, come to think of it....I´ve seen people lost in the New York Giants memorabilia, who actually play in New Jersey....should be called the Jersey Giants, baby....I´ll show you some controversy !....I´ve seen people lost to the strains of the theme song ´New York, New York´ ....actually sung by a man from New Jersey....I´ve seen people lost in bitterness....but that´s alright ´cause tonight I´ve come across the river on an ambassadorial mission....if you´re downhearted, disgusted, disspirited, dispossessed, downsized, analyzed, stigmatised....I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight.... I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight.... I’m here tonight.... I’m here tonight .....I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight to re-educate, to resuscitate, to regenerate, to reconfiscate, to reindoctrinate, to recombobolate, to resexualate....to rededicate, to reliberate you with the power and the promise and glory, with the majesty, with the mystery....with the ministry of rock and roll !....with the ministry of rock and roll ! ....now, unlike my competitors, I shall not, I will not, I cannot promise you life everlasting .... but I can promise you life right now !...and all you gotta do is raise your hand and say ‘I’.....”
 * 23.06.00 New York City, NY, middle of ´Light of Day´**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//